Xiaomi introduces Mi VR Standalone, a new all-in-one VR system coming to China in 2018

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2018 — Today, global technology leader Xiaomi, and Oculus announced they have been working together to bring two standalone VR headsets to market: Oculus Go and Xiaomi Mi VR Standalone. Both headsets aim to lower barriers of entry, allowing more people to experience high-quality VR.

The Mi VR Standalone headset will be available exclusively in China. Oculus Go, first announced at Oculus Connect in October 2017, will be available in the rest of the world. This new standalone category of hardware is designed to bring more freedom and accessibility to VR. Without the need for a cable, external sensors, or a dropped-in mobile phone, standalone headsets represent an exciting new phase of VR hardware.

In collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, both headsets use the powerful Snapdragon Mobile VR Platform to address VR processing demands in this standalone form factor. By bringing together Xiaomi’s innovation and experience in consumer electronics and Oculus’ industry-leading VR engineering and expertise, both Mi VR Standalone and Oculus Go will offer cutting-edge technologies and a high level of craftsmanship.

Tang Mu, VP of Mi Ecosystem and head of Mi Lab, said: “We are excited to work with Oculus on these standalone devices that exceed expectations in terms of performance at a very attractive price. Xiaomi has always relentlessly pursued the best user experience and price-to-performance ratio. For the best experience, we consider every minute detail. Through our collaboration with Oculus, we have integrated world-class technologies and craftsmanship to produce a VR standalone that lets people immerse themselves in another world without being connected to smartphones or computers.”

“The standalone VR form factor represents the next significant phase of VR hardware development at Oculus,” said Hugo Barra, VP of VR at Facebook. “Through our partnership with Xiaomi, both Oculus Go and Mi VR Standalone represent our first step in delivering that sweet spot between mobile and PC VR. These devices will be, hands down, the easiest way to get into VR.”

FIRST LOOK AT MI VR STANDALONE
Mi VR Standalone shares the same core hardware as Oculus Go. Both headsets have the same advanced technologies, including a 2K high-resolution fast-switch LCD screen, next-generation lenses and integrated spatial audio. Adding to these features is a vast content library of movies, 360° videos and interactive games available through the Mi VR Store.

Mi VR Standalone features integrated spatial audio technology developed by Oculus. The audio drivers are built directly into the headset, making getting in and out of VR much faster and making the headset easy to share with someone else. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack for a more private listening experience.

Based on Oculus technology, the Mi VR Standalone system caters to what Chinese users want the most: a powerful video player and a localized social experience. Mi VR Standalone supports both the Oculus Mobile SDK and the Mi VR SDK, making it easy for Chinese developers to support the headset, and giving existing Oculus developers a streamlined path to bring their content to the Chinese market on the Mi VR platform. Xiaomi is working with developers to bring some of the popular games, videos and apps from the Oculus Store to the Mi VR Store in China, giving Chinese consumers access to high-quality mobile VR content.

Xiaomi’s devices are set to shake up the local smartphone market with high-quality performance at incredible prices

MADRID, Spain, 7 November 2017—Global technology leader Xiaomi took a major step forward in its global expansion journey as it announced its arrival in Spain today, marking its first entry into Western Europe. Well-known for its range of high-quality innovative products at incredible prices, Xiaomi is set to shake up the smartphone market in Spain and create ripples around Western Europe.

Founded in 2010, Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun and other co-founders started the company based on the vision “innovation for everyone”. A unique company like no other, Xiaomi has an innovative business model inspired by Internet thinking that ensures the highest level of efficiency, so it can make its products with cutting-edge technology available at amazing prices.

There are three pillars that make up Xiaomi’s “triathlon” business model: hardware, new retail and Internet services. During an event held at the COAM space in Madrid today, Xiaomi announced that it is bringing to Spain all three parts of its business model, including its very own e-commerce site Mi.com and a number of Authorized Mi Stores. Through this, the company is demonstrating its commitment to the Spanish market and showing its serious ambitions to change the game in the technology industry.

Mr. Wang Xiang, Senior Vice President, Xiaomi, said at the event: “Today is a momentous occasion for Xiaomi as it marks a new chapter in our global expansion journey. We are so excited to be taking this first step into Western Europe, starting with Spain. After years of unwavering support from our Mi Fans in the Spanish market, we are delighted to officially launch our products here to serve our fans. Xiaomi is a company committed to developing products that combine cutting-edge technological innovations and great design while defying price expectations, and we believe that our products will be a very attractive option for consumers and will ultimately change the game in the technology industry.”

Xiaomi is partnering with Ingram Micro and AliExpress to distribute, market and support its highly innovative products in Spain. Other than its own e-commerce site http://www.mi.com/es, for the very first time, AliExpress (http://www.aliexpress.com) will launch official stores where official Xiaomi products will be sold. Xiaomi’s range of products will also be available online and offline in Spain via Amazon, Carrefour, MediaMarkt and Phone House.

Xiaomi also announced today two Authorized Mi Stores located in Madrid that will open on 11 November—one is situated in the shopping mall La Vaguada and the other one in Xanadú.

The event also featured a speech from Qualcomm Technologies’ Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice President and President, Qualcomm EMEA, who congratulated Xiaomi on its official debut in Europe: “Qualcomm Technologies and Xiaomi have worked in close collaboration for many years and have forged a successful working relationship to bring leading-edge products to the world. Since Xiaomi launched its first device six years ago, we have worked together to create powerful and popular smartphones based on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile Platforms. Qualcomm Technologies is honoured to work with Xiaomi and be part of their arrival in Europe and proud to be powering their first two mobile devices for Europe.”

Mi MIX 2: Innovation on Full Display

One of the key products that Xiaomi is bringing to Spain is Mi MIX 2, a gorgeous evolution of Mi MIX, the revolutionary concept phone unveiled a year ago. Introduced as a concept device last October, Mi MIX heralded a turning point in the design of smartphones and pioneered the trend of full screen display smartphones.

Mi MIX 2, powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835 Mobile Platform, builds on the foundation of the original concept. It is 11.9% smaller than Mi MIX, and has a 5.99-inch screen with a 18:9 full screen display, which delivers a stunning appearance with the screen almost entirely filling up the front surface.

Jointly designed with world-renowned designer Philippe Starck, Mi MIX 2 represents Xiaomi’s efforts in pushing ahead with the use of ceramic. It has a beautiful ceramic back, which features a four-sided curved design that transitions smoothly into the aluminum frame.

Mi MIX 2 will be available in Spain for €499 for the 6GB + 64GB version.

Mi A1: Picture Perfect Dual Camera

Xiaomi also announced the launch of Mi A1 in Spain, starting at €229 for the 4GB + 64GB version, the first device to run on Google’s evolved Android One program.

Powered by the Snapdragon 625 Mobile Platform, Mi A1 incorporates a dual camera configuration similar to that in Mi 6, Xiaomi’s latest flagship device, with wide angle and telephoto lenses used to incredible effect.

The two lenses allow Mi A1 to calculate what is in the foreground and what is in the background, creating a depth-of-field effect that typically requires a DSLR lens to achieve, allowing the user to create photos of unparalleled clarity and color. In addition, an improved Beautify mode that makes selfies look more natural, now works with the both the front 5MP camera as well as the 12MP dual rear camera. Mi A1 supports 2x optical zoom, which makes photos of distant subjects remain clear, while 10x digital zoom is also supported.

Mi A1 runs on stock Android to offer a high-quality software experience designed by Google, underscoring Xiaomi’s commitment to providing more choices for users. It will receive the Android Oreo update by the end of 2017 and will be one of the first smartphones to get the next version of Android in 2018.

Mi Ecosystem: A range of award-winning IoT products for Spain

Another key component of Xiaomi’s hardware strategy is “Mi Ecosystem”, Xiaomi’s unique approach of incubating and investing in specialized companies to effectively expand its product line and solidify its position as a top Internet of Things player.

The “Mi Ecosystem” sub-brand covers a range of hundreds of products manufactured by Xiaomi’s portfolio companies, which numbers 89 now. In addition, the Mi Ecosystem IoT platform has crossed 60 million connected devices, becoming the world’s largest smart hardware platform.

In Spain, Xiaomi is introducing the following well-loved Mi Ecosystem products:

Mi Electric Scooter: Priced at €349.99, Mi Electric Scooter has an award-winning design and is incredibly easy to master. It travels 30km on a single charge and weighs just 12.5kg, and comes with an LED headlight and features such as regenerative braking. By connecting to an app, users can also use their phone as a dashboard.

Mi Action Camera 4K: Mi Action Camera 4K, priced at €134.99, captures 4K videos at 30fps with a 145° super wide-angle lens, which is great for landscape still shots. It has a 2.4-inch built-in display for users to control the camera, and a dedicated app can allow users to discover even more shooting options.

Mi Band 2: Mi Band 2 tracks steps, heart rate and alerts users of notifications and calls, and is available at €24.99. It has an amazing battery life of up to 20 days, and is also IP67-rated to protect against water and dust.

Xiaomi’s range of products will be available in Spain starting 8 November at 1p.m. on all online channels including Xiaomi’s own http://www.mi.com/es, AliExpress and Amazon, as well as the online sites of retailers including Carrefour, MediaMarkt and Phone House. They will be available on 11 November at the two Authorized Mi Stores at La Vaguada and Madrid Xanadú. The rest of the offline channels, namely Carrefour, MediaMarkt and Phone House, will start selling Xiaomi’s products on 22 November.

BEIJING, 11 September 2017 — Global technology leader Xiaomi announced Mi MIX 2 today, a gorgeous evolution of Mi MIX, the revolutionary concept phone unveiled a year ago. In addition to raising the bar for its innovative MIX series, Xiaomi also upped the ante in two other product lines — it announced Mi Note 3, which sports a dual-camera setup and a 16-megapixel front camera, and upgraded its line of laptops with the new Mi Notebook Pro.

Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, said: “Mi MIX gave everyone a glimpse of what the phone of the future would look like. We made a concept phone that defied everyone’s expectations about smartphone design, and it has pioneered the trend of full screen display smartphones. With Mi MIX 2, the future is now here. It has evolved from a design and technology test-bed into a user-friendly phone catered to a wider consumer group than ever before, while still evoking the wow factor.”

Mi MIX 2 once again underscores Xiaomi’s commitment to being at the forefront of technological innovation while making these innovations affordable to the widest possible range of consumers. Starting from RMB 3299, Mi MIX 2 will be available in China from 15 September onwards and will make its way to selected global markets at a later date.

Full screen display 2.0

Introduced as a concept device last October, Mi MIX delivered an unprecedented screen-to-body ratio that heralded a turning point in the design of smartphones. Mi MIX redefined the smartphone user experience as the first Android-based device with a 17:9 aspect ratio high-definition screen and rounded display corners, which helped pave the way for Google’s Android CDD (Compatibility Definition Document) eventually allowing screen aspect ratios beyond 16:9, as well as rounded display corners.

Mi MIX 2 builds on the foundation of the original concept. It is now 11.9% smaller than Mi MIX, and has a 5.99-inch screen with a 18:9 full screen display, which delivers a stunning appearance with the screen almost entirely filling up the front surface.

Instead of the piezoelectric speaker solution in Mi MIX, the second-generation uses a hidden speaker that only takes up a thin sliver of space between the top edge of the phone and the screen. At the same time, the front camera remains at the chin and Mi MIX 2 continues using the ultrasonic proximity sensor. This allows the device itself with all the components to fade into the background, while the focus is entirely on the screen.

Pushing the boundaries of smartphone design with ceramic

Jointly designed with world-renowned designer Philippe Starck, Mi MIX 2 represents Xiaomi’s efforts in pushing ahead with the use of ceramic. It has a beautiful ceramic back, which features a four-sided curved design that transitions smoothly into the aluminum frame.

Also announced today was Mi MIX 2 Special Edition, which has a ceramic unibody — a first for any smartphone. Looking incredibly premium with the glossy jade-like finish, the ceramic unibody on Mi MIX 2 Special Edition takes an arduous 7-day process to manufacture, as even polishing the surface requires the use of diamond powder because ceramic is incredibly hard.

A truly global smartphone

With 43 network bands in total, Mi MIX 2 is a truly global smartphone that can be used almost anywhere in the world, perfect for travelers who may frequent places with different networks, such as the U.S.

Mi MIX 2 delivers the ultimate high-performance experience, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and up to 8GB RAM. It also uses the latest Sony IMX386 sensor in its 12-megapixel camera, and comes with 4-axis OIS that reduces the effect of handshake or motion, so images and videos remain sharp.

Mi MIX 2 will be available in 6GB + 64GB, 6GB + 128GB and 6GB + 256GB versions, priced at RMB 3299/3599/3999 respectively. Mi MIX 2 Special Edition, which comes with a ceramic unibody in either white or black, comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage for RMB 4699.

Mi Note 3: Xiaomi’s best camera smartphone yet

With a dual-camera setup and a 16-megapixel front camera, Mi Note 3 is a larger version of Xiaomi’s popular flagship Mi 6 launched earlier this year. It has a 5.5-inch display and a larger 3500mAh battery.

The dual camera setup with wide angle and telephoto lenses gives users the ability to shoot beautiful portraits with out-of-focus backgrounds. The front camera captures light better with less image noise thanks to large 2μm pixels, achieved by combining multiple pixels on the image sensor into one. The Beautify feature gets an upgrade in Mi Note 3 with an AI algorithm for more natural selfies. Mi Note 3 also has a new unlocking method through AI-based facial recognition, so unlocking the phone is just like taking a selfie.

Mi Note 3 will be available in China starting 12 September priced from RMB 2499 onwards.

The 15.6-inch Mi Notebook Pro comes with a full-HD screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, and a fingerprint sensor integrated into the touchpad for easy unlocking of the laptop. Coupled with a 256GB PCIe NVMe solid-state drive (SSD), Mi Notebook Pro powers through demanding tasks effortlessly. On top of that, Mi Notebook Pro has one free SATA SSD slot that gives users an option to expand its storage. It runs on the Chinese version of the Windows 10 operating system and users get full licensed copies of Microsoft Office and Kingsoft’s WPS Office.

Redmi Note 5A makes no compromise in any aspect, including design. It features a symmetrical design and exudes a simple and elegant aesthetic. Though equipped with a 5.5-inch screen, Redmi Note 5A weighs a mere 150g, thanks to a complex manufacturing process that gives its non-metal back a metal-like feel — without the added weight. Meanwhile, two decorative separation lines adorn the top and bottom of its back.

An ultra-thin Perforated Case for Redmi Note 5A will also be available. The perforated design allows better airflow and provides a non-slip surface. This case comes in blue, pink, and black.

Redmi Note 5A comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera which supports PDAF for fast autofocus, and also sports a high-capacity 3080mAh battery that lasts all day. With a two-plus-one SIM tray design, Redmi Note 5A allows two SIM cards and one MicroSD card to be used at at the same time, while memory can be expanded up to 128GB. Finally, a built-in IR blaster means the phone also doubles as a universal remote control.

Redmi Note 5A Prime with front Selfie-light and fingerprint sensor

In addition to the standard edition, Redmi Note 5A Prime was also announced today. This version features Selfie-light and fingerprint recognition. Selfies turn out better with the front-facing 16-megapixel camera and an independent Selfie-light, which simulates the effect of natural light. The result is more beautiful selfies with clearer facial features, brighter skin tone and more expressive eyes.

Redmi Note 5A Prime is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 435 processor and comes in either 3GB+32GB or 4GB+64GB configurations. It also has a built-in fingerprint sensor at the back.Redmi Note 5A is available in Dark Gray, Gold, and Rose Gold and is available at RMB 699. Redmi Note 5A Prime starts at RMB 899 for the 3GB+32GB version and is priced at RMB 1199 for the 4GB+64GB configuration. All versions are upgradeable to Xiaomi’s lightning-fast MIUI 9 at the end of August and go on sale on Mi.com, as well as Xiaomi’s flagship online stores on Tmall and JD.com starting August 22 at 10am.

BEIJING, 26 July 2017 — Leading technology company Xiaomi today unveiled its latest smartphone with a dual camera setup, Mi 5X. During the same event, Xiaomi also took the wraps off MIUI 9, the latest refresh of its Android-based operating system. At the same time, it announced a voice-activated smart speaker, Mi AI Speaker, which acts as the hub for Xiaomi’s smart home products and ties the company’s Mi Ecosystem strategy together.

Mi 5X: Picture Perfect Dual Camera

Mi 5X shares a similar dual camera setup used in Xiaomi’s flagship device Mi 6, with wide angle and telephoto lenses used to incredible effect. The two lenses allow Mi 5X to calculate what is in the foreground and what is in the background, creating a depth-of-field effect that typically requires a DSLR camera to achieve, and allowing the user to capture beautiful portrait photos with out-of-focus backgrounds. Mi 5X also supports 2x optical zoom, which makes sure photos of distant subjects remain clear without loss of image quality, as well as 10x digital zoom.

Available in Black, Gold, and Rose Gold, Mi 5X has an attractive all-metal unibody design. It measures just 7.3mm in thickness and has hidden antenna lines on the back for a seamless look and feel. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor based on the 14nm manufacturing process, as well as a 3080mAh battery, Mi 5X provides users with a smooth experience that lasts all day.

Mi 5X is yet another device that underscores Xiaomi’s commitment to making innovations affordable to the widest possible range of consumers. With 4GB RAM and 64 ROM, Mi 5X is priced at RMB 1499 and available starting 1 August via Mi.com and Mi Home stores, as well as a number of other partner sites and retail channels.

Key features of Mi 5X:

Attractive metal unibody design

Dual camera, optical zoom:

12MP wide angle with 4-axis OIS stabilization + 12MP telephoto

Exceptional portrait photography with background blur

Beautify, for natural selfie enhancements

Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 with 14nm process technology

5-inch full-HD display

3080mAh battery

4GB RAM + 64GB storage

Available in Black, Gold and Rose Gold

Dual SIM (3-choose-2 hybrid SIM tray)

4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm

MIUI 9: Lightning Fast

Xiaomi co-founder Hong Feng revealed today that MIUI has crossed over 280 million users across 142 countries and regions across the world, and took the wraps off MIUI 9, the latest update to its popular Android-based operating system that now delivers a much faster user experience. Wide-ranging changes were made under the hood that result in a faster and smoother user experience, such as making simple tasks like starting apps even more instantaneous, and several new features have been introduced.

With a new image search feature, users will be able to find photos, documents, and even screenshots of chat messages through intelligent recognition of faces, document types and even text in images.

MIUI 9 also introduces a “Smart assistant” feature that makes it easier for users to access often-needed information and frequently-used functions by simply sliding the screen to the left without opening every app — including favorite items, expenditures, courier information, and day-to-day schedules.

Another new feature called “Smart app launcher” quickly launches a related app based on content on the screen. For example, a link to a Taobao product page no longer requires the user to copy the link, return to the home page, find and start the Taobao app before getting to the desired product page. Upon highlighting a Taobao link, a pop-up appears at the bottom of the screen that lets the user bring up the product page instantly. This also applies to addresses, restaurant names, and even TV programs — when they are highlighted, the appropriate app can be launched with a single tap at the bottom of the screen.

Since it was launched on 16 August 2010, MIUI has been constantly updated every week for more than 340 weeks. Devices launched five years ago are still receiving updates. In China, MIUI 9 will be available on 11 August as a public beta for Mi 6, Mi 5X, and Redmi Note 4X. Support for other models will be rolled out gradually starting 25 August.

Mi AI Speaker: The hub for Xiaomi’s smart home products

More than being a smartphone company, Xiaomi is also fulfilling its goal of bringing innovation to everyone by addressing the full spectrum of consumer electronics, which is where its Mi Ecosystem strategy comes into play. By investing and incubating in 89 companies to date, Xiaomi is able to offer a wide array of smart home products. After three years, the Mi Ecosystem IoT platform has crossed 60 million connected devices, becoming the world’s largest smart hardware platform.

Today, Xiaomi announced Mi AI Speaker, a high-quality speaker system that comes with an array of six microphones to detect voice commands from all directions, and that serves as a control hub for the company’s smart home products.

Mi AI Speaker will retail at RMB 299, but will be launched first in August through a beta program that is recruiting 1000 users who will each pay RMB 1 to help train Mi AI Speaker to be even more intelligent in the early stage.

With voice commands, users can tune in to Internet radio stations, enjoy music from streaming services, and listen to audio books. Mi AI Speaker also acts as a personal assistant, giving information such as the weather, traffic conditions, personal calendar reminders, and latest news. In addition, Mi AI Speaker serves as a smart home assistant. It is able to connect to and control a host of products including the Mi TV, Mi Box, Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner, Mi Induction Heating Rice Cooker, Mi Air Purifier, Mi Electric Fan and smart lamps. Through products like Mi Smart Plug and Mi Smart Power Strip, “non-smart” home appliances can also be controlled with Mi AI Speaker.

Through an initiative termed Platform Waterdrop, Xiaomi is also seeking to welcome more third-party applications for Mi AI Speaker. This initiative does not require developers to have prior experience in artificial intelligence, and makes it easy for tools and services to work with Mi AI Speaker.

Mercury Silver Mi 6: 100 units to go on sale

Demonstrating Xiaomi’s constant innovation in materials and relentless drive in pursuing craftsmanship, it also created a Mercury Silver version of its flagship smartphone Mi 6, which was first announced in April this year. The Mercury Silver version of Mi 6 is extremely difficult to produce and is an outcome of Xiaomi’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of materials technology.

Today, Xiaomi revealed that 100 units of the Mercury Silver Mi 6 will be available on Mi.com in China on August 3. Priced at RMB 3,999, the package includes the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage smartphone, a letter from a Xiaomi engineer and an exclusive F-code which gives the user the priority to purchase any newly launched product in the next three years.